The best part of this position is being able to be in the classrooms. I have the privilege of spending time in our classrooms observing our teachers creating learning environments that brings out the best in our students. Arranging and participating in professional development with staff is another piece of the puzzle. Our district has ongoing assessments to determine if our best practices are meeting the needs of our students. Our district is a well oiled machine that has every staff member bringing out the best in our students. It truly does take all hands on deck to create a positive, safe learning environment for all. It's a pleasure to be able to be part of the district's big picture after being in the high school for years.

Our kindergarten through twelfth grade teachers started this year by looking at the Indiana State Standards at each grade level that has identified as a "must know" standard. Our goal for the 2022-2023 school year is to identify our priority standards by grade level, align them by quarter of when they will be covered, and create our common formative assessments (skill checks). Aligning our standards (skills) throughout the grade levels and using the common skills assessment will insure we are building our students' knowledge base skill by skill every year.

Our teachers have been sharpening their best practices for teaching writing through Smekens training. They have participated in professional development led by a Smekens consultant and received feedback on their teaching practices. Reflecting on what we are doing now and how to improve it will only continue to help all our students become stronger writers. Each grade level is focused on the Writer's Workshop and are building a common language for our students to better understand the writing process.